We all have difficult challenges to solve. Each of us occasionally experiences energy slumps, roadblocks, and setbacks. Times when you feel stuck.
You may normally be productive, but feeling stuck is simply part of a growth process. While it’s frustrating, you can get beyond it. You simply need to be resourceful when you feel stuck, and you can get unstuck.
You know you’re in a rut when you've run out of ideas and inspiration. You can sit in front of your computer or through meetings for hours and feel like you haven’t done any real work. You may feel as though you haven't contributed.
“Whether you are trying to grow your company to the next level, crank up the marketing to new heights, or take that next rise up the corporate ladder, plateaus are a frustrating yet natural part of the growth process,” says Kevin Daum, contributor to Inc.
He offers three useful ways to get through these natural obstacles and move toward success.
When You Feel Stuck: Assess Your Weaknesses
Start with an honest assessment of your strengths, and then identify what you are missing from your skill set. “Make an excruciatingly honest list of all the things you are not doing well,” he says. Then create a list of actions to take to resolve your weaknesses.
Remember, it's not always easy to have a clear view of yourself. But the practice of regularly assessing your own strengths and weaknesses will help you on the road toward improvement.
When You Feel Stuck: Ask for Feedback
Gather insight from outsiders, whether it’s your team, friends, or others in your circle who will be direct and truthful. Daum suggests you resist the urge to defend yourself. You should stay open, humble, and ready to learn.
Just make sure the people you're asking for feedback are those who will be honest with you. Don't ask someone who reports to you for feedback like this unless you have an exceptional relationship.
When You Feel Stuck: Think Like an Entrepreneur
It’s tough to do when you are entrenched in the day-to-day activities of your business, but try to take a step back and think like an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs do not sit idly by and wait for great things to happen to them. They take action, and they take risks.
For example, when Daum is frustrated or unhappy with the progress of his company, he pretends he is a new buyer and examines it as a fresh investor who just made a purchase. He analyzes without history or baggage. Then he assesses the company’s assets, liabilities, market opportunities, and danger factors. He tries to discover the path to success.
As Seth Godin said, “Don't wait for the right answer and the golden path to present themselves. This is precisely why you're stuck.”
The ruts you get in when you feel stuck can often be a sign you’ve been working too long and too hard, so it may also be time to take a break and recharge. Sometimes leaders need that extra push to get moving again and back to their productive self.
What pushes you to get out of your rut?
